Happy Halloween

Two cutest pumpkins, Hayden and Bella
Sione and Maddy

Maddy (Dorothy) Sione (Red Power Ranger) Sarah (Maiden Princess) Bella (Pumpkin) Abby (Corpse Bride) and Katie (Tinker Bell)

Hope Everyone had a safe and Happy Halloween.

Today Bella had a meeting with CCVI. They did a Teller Test on her to see what her vision is right now. They thought she was around 22/60. I guess this means she is nearsighted but sees fairly well up close.
As I mentioned in the last post, the Dr. put me on Zofran to help with the nausea and vomiting. It helped a little but I am now back to unable to keep ANYTHING down. I am sipping on Gatorade in hopes of staying hydrated. If I am not better in two days, then we will be looking at going into the hospital for IV fluids for two hours as needed to rehydrate me. I asked if I could do the fluids at home, but they did not seem to think so. I just don't know what else to do. I literally can't keep food down. So I am weak and tired all of the time. YUCK!!!! I just want to feel better.
On another note, Matt is probably going to get laid off from his job in the next few weeks. This company always does some type of layoff ever winter. This stinks. I thought of working a few shifts outside of the home, but I don't know if I will be able to being this sick. So I am now officially a Mary Kay Consultant. I am hoping I can help us out with a little extra money by doing this. So if anyone wants to do a Mary Kay party or would like to see our Fall Line just let me know. You can e-mail me with any questions at sgudde@marykay.com

Not Much Going on Here

Baby News: I spent the weekend SICK!!!! I don't know if I have been that sick ever. I couldn't keep anything down and as the weekend progressed, I just got weaker and weaker. I have been still fighting this morning-all day sickness. It was better for a few days after the dr. put me on the motion sickness medicine and the unisom, but then it just slowly crept back until it was full blown sickness. Not kidding, I lost 6 pounds in like 30 hours. So first thing this morning I called the Dr. and now I am happy to say I am on Zofran. It is suppose the be the best anti-nausea pill. So far so good. I don't feel 100% yet but I don't feel on the verge of death anymore.

Bella is getting bigger all the time. I just can't believe my baby is just about to turn two!! I need to start working on birthday party ideas. If you know me and my parties, they are well, somewhat overboard!! So if I start now I should be ready by Dec 23 :) So does anyone have any good birthday party ideas for Bella? I am definitely open to suggestions.

I told you guys when I got pregnant about one of my best friends (Amber) and how she got pregnant first and that all of our kids are just weeks apart and yada yada. Well, Amber found out last Tuesday that she miscarried. I am so saddened for her and her husband. They are two great people that I love with all of my heart. I hate that this has happened to them. Please pray for Amber and her family.
Amber-I love you girl. You are the greatest. I am here for you always!!!

Worlds of Fun/Vacation Pics

Spending quality time the Ackers!!

The girls enjoyed Camp Snoopy. Abby rode one big kid ride (Timber Wolf roller coaster) but after that she wanted nothing to do with anymore big kid rides!!
Bella on the train. I thought she would like it, but she cried the entire time. I don't think she liked all of the noise and the shaking.
Lunch Time with the family

Loving on Snoopy
Madison loving on Bella while we waited for Abby and Matt to ride the Timber Wolf.
Abby and Maddy on the Air Mail Ride

So we are home now and it is so good to be home. Isabella did not like being away from home for that long. She just wasn't herself all weekend. By the way, the medicine the Dr. gave me for the morning sickness is helping a lot. I feel 100% better!!

This is a super cute video of Maddy saying the Pledge of Allegiance. I didn't even know she knew it. Little Miss Smarty Pants!!

Baby Update

I thought I would update everyone before we left town. I went to the Dr. this morning. He did not give me zophran, but he did give me a motion sickness pill and then put me on Unisom at night. The Unisom will help me sleep, but it will also help with the nausea. My Dr. is happy about everything thus far. I will try to scan the sono pics in after the weekend. We got to see the little baby heart beating!! It was so sweet.

Leaving for Vacation

As soon as Abby gets out of school tomorrow, we are out of here!!! We are going to KC for the weekend. We are taking the kids to Worlds of Fun and I got them a hotel with an indoor swimming pool. I am bringing my lap top, so I will be posting lots of pics.
I go to the Dr. in the a.m. for another sono. I have no idea why he is doing another sono, but I keep dreaming that I am having twins. YIKES!! I am going to see if he can put me on Zophran (a high powered anti-nausea pill). I can't keep anything down. It is to the point that I am pretty sure I am getting dehydrated. I couldn't even lift my head yesterday and I kept spiking temps. With Abby and Maddy I had a rare condition known as Hyperemesis Gravidarum. It is severe vomiting in pregnancy that leads to dehydration. I had to be hospitalized several times with Abby and Maddy to get IV fluids because I was so dehydrated that I was going into labor. My Dr. never mentioned that there was a drug out there to help with this!! One of the causes of HG is high Progesterone levels. I remember my first appointment a few weeks ago when the Dr. made a big deal about how my progesterone levels were nice and high and that I have practically no chance of miscarriage and that I will most likely carry this baby to term. Hmmm, I wonder if that is what is causing me to be so sick. I guess I will find out more tomorrow.

Tagged

Tag #1

My friend Amy Boeckman tagged me for a photo tag. You have to pick the photo from the fourth file and then the fourth photo. My photo ended up being a pic of Bella after her first open heart. She still has the steri strips on her chest so I bet she is like a week 1/2 post op here. I can't believe how tiny she looks!!

Tag #2

This tag comes from Amy at http://kadenboeckman.blogspot.com/. Here are the rules...

1. Link your tagger and list these rules on your blog.

2. Share seven facts about yourself on your blog--some random, some weird.

3. Tag seven people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.

About Myself

1. I consider my self to be a bit OCD. I love love love to clean. I sweep my hardwood floor like four times a day.

2. The books on my bookshelf are separated out by author and genre. (another OCD trait!!)

3. My favorite music is Christian Rock.

4. I love to read and I seriously read around 75 novels a year.

5. I love to bake. Up until I got pregnant and became so nauseous, I was baking about 3 batches of cookies a week. That is like 9 dozen cookies!!

6. My husband and I were set up by a friend. When we met we didn't waste anytime planning our lives together. We were engaged within 6 months and married at one year. We used to think we wanted 7 kids!! (We are not to far from that goal)

7. I rearrange my furniture ALL the time. My sister-in-law Steph works every other weekend, and she comes in and can never find anything because I have moved it ALL!!

I am tagging YOU!!

1. Micah- http://gabrielesheridan.blogspot.com/

2. Angela- http://mom2girlsgirlsgirls.blogspot.com/

3. Hollie- http://hollie-walkingthefineline.blogspot.com/

4. Angie- http://www.xanga.com/Ivys_Vine

5. Carrie- http://cbranam.blogspot.com/

6. Penny- http://sporefamily.blogspot.com/

7. Laura- http://lilliansheart.blogspot.com/

Off the Vent for 1 1/2 hours!!!!!!

You read it right, Bella was off for 1 1/2 hours in one trial yesterday. Her o2 saturation never dropped below 95% and she didn't seem to be having any trouble breathing at all. The only reason I put her back on after an hour and a half, is because her heart rate was starting to creep up. This usually indicates stress on the body. GO BELLA GO!!!! That's right, they give my baby a challenge and she greets it head on. We are going to try to be off that long three to four times a day. At that rate, she will be off the vent during the day all together before we know it. That is the plan, to be off during the day and then just be on at night. Then eventually wean at night. And then wean her off the trach. I think I can actually see light at the end of the tunnel!! Another big excitement around our house, is that we are going to Worlds of Fun next weekend. I can't wait and the girls are even more excited. Everyday Maddy and Abby are asking how many more days until Worlds of Fun. Abby has been on the Worlds of Fun website and already decided what rides she wants to go on. Believe it or not, she is really wanting to ride a roller coaster. We are going with ALL of Matt's family. So his sister Steph (one of our nurses) will also be with us. It is going to be a great little family vacation. We have not had one of those since before Bella was born. It is suppose to be really nice that day, so I think Bella will really enjoy herself.
Well, everyone have a great Friday!!

Dr. Appointment

We just got back from KC for Bella's check up. She had a good report!! Dr. Gratny would like to see Bella off the vent 1-2 hours at a time now. She really feels like we need to start pushing her a little harder. Bella showed off for everyone. She rolled onto her tummy and got her knees up like she was going to crawl. Everyone was really impressed. Dr. Gratny just can't seem to get over how much Isabella has improved. She says these kids never cease to amaze her. Bella has a new thing now that when she is bored or wants something, she fake cries. It is so stinkin cute!! She will not take a nap during the day now unless you snuggle her and rock her to sleep. She is just determined to stay awake and capture every moment.
As for me, I am sick!!! I have morning sickness from the time I wake up until the time I go to bed. It never subsides, I am just constantly nauseous. I am not actually throwing up, it just feels like I have 24/7 motion sickness. I am also VERY tired. I have to have at least one really long nap everyday and then I still am ready to go to bed by 8:00. I just hope the second trimester I have more energy and less nausea. It takes all I have everyday to keep my house clean and to cook meals for my family. I am not complaining in a bad way though, I am VERY VERY excited about this baby and I would suffer through anything for all of my children. This pregnancy is just so different from the other three which makes me wonder, is it a boy??? I don't know. I guess we will find out in December.